1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a content reproducing apparatus that reproduces contents, using a cipher key.
2. Description of the Related Art
An AV amplifier has a function as an internet radio terminal, which can acquire content data (tune data) in a streaming form via Internet from an internet radio server to reproduce the data. The AV amplifier acquires a tune list from the server and displays the same, so that a user selects a desired tune to be reproduced from the tune list. The AV amplifier transmits an api key set by the server to the server to cause the server to generate a session key and acquires the session key from the server. The session key is a cipher key needed when the tune list and the tune data are acquired from the server. The session key has an expiration date, and when the session key expires, the AV amplifier needs to reacquire the session key from the server.
Now, consider a case where a plurality of pieces of tune data in the tune list are acquired from the server to continuously reproduce the same. For example, although since the session key was effective when the tune data of a first tune and a second tune was requested to the server, the tune data could be acquired without reacquiring the session key, the tune data of a third tune and later cannot be acquired, using the current session key, if the session key expires during the reproduction of the tune data of the second tune. In this case, the AV amplifier needs to temporarily stop the continuous reproduction of the tune data, and after the session key is reacquired from the server, the tune data of the third tune needs to be requested to the server to be acquired and be reproduced. Accordingly, the continuous reproduction is stopped in a period of time between the second tune and the third tune until the session key is reacquired, which gives the user an uncomfortable feeling.
In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-103988, there is described a technique in which while the cipher key is updated when the expiration date approaches, even in an effective period, when a state where CPU loading is low is determined, a cipher key of a counterpart cipher communication apparatus with a smaller communication volume is searched to be updated. However, in this literature, no technique to solve the above-described problem in continuously reproducing a plurality of tunes is described.